Chapter 13

After showering last night, Lin Ke stayed up reading for a while.

By the time she returned to the bedroom close to midnight, Si Yuming was already asleep.

Everything appeared normal.

But this morning, she noticed something strange about him.

She couldn’t quite pinpoint what felt off—

Only that his gaze seemed to follow her constantly.

She placed the dumplings Aunt Chen had wrapped into the steamer, then turned to heat milk for Si Xiaotie.

The moment she looked back—

Sure enough, she met that lingering stare again.

This time, he didn’t avoid her eyes.

Instead, he walked into the kitchen.

“Need help with anything?”

There were faint dark circles beneath his eyes.

It looked like he hadn’t slept well last night.

Lin Ke couldn’t help asking,

“Are you in a bad mood?”

“No.”

“Then did I grow a pimple? Or did my clothes rip somewhere?”

“No.”

The milk didn’t need long to heat.

Si Yuming took out Si Xiaotie’s exclusive dinosaur cup, poured the warm milk into it, then opened the cabinet and found the pan for frying eggs.

He skillfully added oil and started cooking breakfast.

Lin Ke watched the man concentrating on frying eggs for a while from behind.

She couldn’t figure anything out.

Eventually, she picked up the milk and carried it outside for Si Xiaotie.

Wearing green dinosaur pajamas, the little girl rubbed her eyes as she shuffled out from the children’s room.

Because of the dry weather, her soft hair had exploded into a fluffy mess.

Her sleepy voice sounded muffled.

“Mommy… do I have school today?”

“Yes.”

Lin Ke lifted her onto her lap, smoothed down her hair with her fingers, then removed her own hair tie to quickly tie up a tiny ponytail.

“Go brush your teeth. Daddy’s eggs are almost ready.”

“Mhm.”

Si Xiaotie jumped down and waddled toward the bathroom, climbing onto her little stool to prepare for brushing her teeth.

Lin Ke called after her,

“Brush for a full five minutes.”

“Got it.”

The little girl squeezed toothpaste onto her children’s toothbrush, bared her tiny rows of teeth dramatically, and began brushing while counting aloud.

“One minute, two minutes, three minutes, four minutes—”

“Si Lezhen!”

The little girl puffed her cheeks out and abandoned the counting, obediently brushing for the full five minutes.

Once done, she hurried excitedly to the dining table.

After taking one bite of fried egg, she raised her chopsticks and started chatting.

“Mommy, Gu Yiyi said he and his mommy are going out for National Day vacation. Are we going too?”

Lin Ke immediately felt troubled.

Next week was National Day holiday.

But she was preparing for exams this year and hadn’t made any plans.

The man beside them suddenly spoke.

“Where does Xiaotie want to go?”

“Don’t know.”

The little girl looked eagerly at her mother with wide round eyes.

“Mommy, where are we going?”

Lin Ke instead looked toward Si Yuming, silently asking what he meant by that question.

He answered,

“I’ll go with you two. It’ll be Xiaotie’s first trip out. We can drive ourselves.”

Si Xiaotie hurriedly corrected him.

“It’s not Xiaotie’s first trip!”

Si Yuming frowned slightly in confusion.

The little girl immediately became excited.

“Mommy and I went to Disneyland before! There were sooo many fun things and lots and lots of giant animals!”

At those words, the man’s brows slowly tightened.

He looked toward the woman quietly drinking water.

A few seconds later, he asked softly,

“Which Disneyland?”

Lin Ke answered calmly,

“Shanghai Disneyland.”

This time, the silence across the table stretched much longer.

She explained,

“Our company had a beach team-building trip down south during summer vacation. We transferred flights in Shanghai, so we stopped by to play for a bit.”

It hadn’t actually been a transfer.

Nor was it

“on the way.”

They’d deliberately bought tickets to Shanghai and stayed an extra night.

But she hadn’t told him beforehand.

The result was that she couldn’t reach him the night before, and still couldn’t contact him after landing the next day.

Later she finally received a reply saying he was overseas.

At that point, there was no longer any reason to inform him.

Back then, Lin Ke had secretly felt fortunate she hadn’t told Si Xiaotie in advance they were going to see Daddy.

Otherwise, she didn’t know how disappointed the child would’ve been after failing to see him.

Silence once again spread across the dining table.

The only sound remaining was Si Xiaotie struggling valiantly against the steamed dumplings.

Lin Ke pulled out a tissue and wiped the corner of her daughter’s mouth before continuing calmly,

“If you have time, then come with us.”

After Si Xiaotie turned two, Lin Ke had taken her to many places.

Sometimes with Zhang Man.

Sometimes with coworkers.

Sometimes just mother and daughter traveling alone.

Near places and far places alike.

But Si Xiaotie had never once traveled together with her father.

Sure enough, the moment the little girl heard this, her eyes sparkled brightly.

“Daddy too!”

Si Yuming looked at the woman across from him whose face remained calm and unreadable.

Then he looked at his overjoyed daughter.

Dense waves of sourness spread quietly through his chest.

……

A road trip.

After selecting destinations all evening, Lin Ke finally chose a city over four hundred kilometers northwest of Beicheng.

There were grasslands there, golden autumn leaves, and animals that Si Xiaotie loved.

Friday morning, all employees of Entropy Group received a holiday notice in their email.

For National Day, there would be no make-up workdays.

The vacation would begin two days early immediately after work.

The entire office erupted into cheers.

“Thank you, boss!”

“Thank you President Si!”

“Long live President Si!”

Lin Ke couldn’t help laughing while reading the notice.

They should really be thanking Si Xiaotie.

They were leaving the next day.

So immediately after dinner that evening, Si Xiaotie impatiently began packing.

She had her own little suitcase and already possessed quite a bit of travel experience, fully aware of what needed bringing.

At this moment, she directed loudly:

“Daddy, where’s my water bottle?”

Si Yuming found her bottle inside her kindergarten backpack, washed it carefully, and handed it over.

The little girl knelt before the suitcase, flipping through the already packed clothes uncertainly.

“Mommy, what else do I need?”

Her mother’s voice drifted from the next room.

“Did you pack that pink slippery outfit?”

Si Xiaotie let out an

“Ohhh,” then scampered toward the wardrobe.

But even standing on tiptoe, she still couldn’t reach high enough.

Si Yuming walked over and, following her instructions, found a soft pink sun-protection jacket.

After packing it away, the little girl shouted again at top volume as though afraid nobody could hear her.

“Mommy what else do I need?!”

“A hat.”

Si Yuming picked up a foldable hat from the desk and handed it over.

The little girl stuffed it inside.

“Mommy what else do I need?!”

“Your storybooks.”

Si Yuming found the two picture books she loved most recently beside the bed.

“Which one?”

The child didn’t even need to think.

“Both!”

Then she shouted again:

“Mommy what else do I need?!”

“Did you pack your underwear?”

“Yes!”

“Then that’s enough.”

The long-distance conversation between mother and daughter finally ended.

Si Xiaotie proceeded to mash all the somewhat messy clothes and toys deeper into the suitcase, then ran to the other side and used every ounce of strength to force the lid closed.

Watching this, Si Yuming laughed softly.

He stepped forward to fasten the interior straps before zipping the suitcase shut properly.

“Thank you Daddy~”

After packing, the little girl became exhausted and quickly fell asleep.

Si Yuming returned to the bedroom.

Lin Ke was also packing clothes.

Her suitcase was two sizes larger than their daughter’s.

Hearing movement, she glanced up.

“You don’t need me to pack for you too, right?”

“No need.”

He shook his head, then asked again,

“Anything I can help with?”

Lin Ke looked around briefly and didn’t bother being polite.

“Go grab three new sets of toiletries from the outside bathroom. There are clean travel bottles under the sink cabinet—fill some shampoo, body wash, and skincare products. Xiaotie isn’t used to hotel stuff.”

He turned to leave.

But after two steps, she called him again.

“Oh, and bring some medicine from the first-aid kit under the sideboard in the dining area. Umm… fever medicine, iodine, band-aids, and maybe two bottles of anti-diarrheal solution too. She sometimes gets stomach problems eating unfamiliar food outside.”

This time, Si Yuming didn’t move immediately.

He remained standing there, deep eyes fixed on the woman’s busy back.

Every detail.

Every preparation.

She was experienced in all of it.

She had always been a good mother.

From the day Si Xiaotie was born until now, she personally handled everything.

Over the years, she’d raised their daughter into someone obedient and sensible while still preserving her individuality.

The one who failed—

Was him.

An unqualified husband.

An unqualified father.

Leaving her alone to bear so much.

After one or two minutes, she glanced back, seemingly thinking he had already returned, and continued:

“There are tissues under the dining cabinet. Bring a few packs. And extra wet wipes too. Oh, and remember her utensils set.”

The woman waited a while before noticing he still hadn’t moved.

She paused.

“What’s wrong?”

Si Yuming shook his head and smiled faintly.

“Nothing.”

But when he spoke, his voice sounded slightly hoarse.

He left the room and silently prepared everything exactly as she instructed.

Once all preparations were complete, Si Yuming took a simple shower and climbed into bed.

Lin Ke switched off the lights and asked in the darkness,

“What time are we leaving tomorrow?”

“What time do you want?”

“Earlier is better. Let’s leave after breakfast.”

“Okay.”

“Are you driving, or is the driver driving?”

“I’ll drive.”

The woman fell quiet briefly before saying,

“That works. Then remember to install the baby seat in your car tomorrow morning.”

“Alright.”

He asked softly,

“Anything else?”

“That’s about it. If we forget anything, we can just buy it on the road.”

“Mhm.”

Si Yuming reached out and pulled her into his arms, kissing her forehead gently.

But he said nothing more.

……

The drive to their destination would normally take six hours.

But because it was the eve of a holiday, traffic was heavy everywhere.

Including traffic jams, they’d likely arrive by evening.

They drove an SUV with plenty of space.

Lin Ke and Si Xiaotie sat in the back.

Once the trip began, the little girl became incredibly excited, chattering nonstop to Daddy about her dinosaur world and spider world, determined to teach him every dinosaur and spider she knew.

After talking herself tired, she started eating snacks.

After snacks came cartoons.

By the time they reached the first service area, Lin Ke looked over and discovered the little girl already asleep, clutching a bag of cookies with her head bobbing.

Though reluctant, she still had to wake her.

“Baby, wake up and go to the bathroom.”

“Mnn…”

Si Yuming got out and opened the backseat door, carrying the drowsy little girl into his arms.

Si Xiaotie slumped bonelessly against his shoulder.

Lin Ke grabbed her bag and followed them inside.

After using the restroom and washing her face, Si Xiaotie regained energy completely.

One moment she pressed herself against the window admiring scenery.

The next, she insisted on unbuckling her child seat and climbing between the front seats, stretching her head forward and calling sweetly,

“Daddy~”

“Yeah.”

Si Yuming quickly glanced back at her.

The little girl was clearly in an excellent mood.

She leaned forward and loudly kissed his cheek.

Then immediately retreated into Mommy’s arms giggling.

“Mommy, I’m hungry.”

Lin Ke pretended to sound stern.

“You already ate two packs of cookies and one little cake. We’ll eat later.”

Si Xiaotie compromised instantly.

“Okay then.”

A while later, with nothing else to do, the little girl cupped her mother’s face curiously and asked,

“Mommy, are you a fairy?”

Lin Ke blinked.

“?”

Through the rearview mirror, Si Yuming saw the surprised smile on the woman’s face.

Lin Ke asked,

“What does Baby think?”

“Mommy is a fairy. The prettiest fairy. And she smells nice too.”

Then she turned toward the front.

“What does Daddy think?”

Si Yuming glanced at the rearview mirror again, meeting eyes with the elegant woman reflected there.

She looked away first, her expression slightly unnatural.

He smiled faintly and answered his daughter,

“Mhm. Mommy is a fairy.”

“Then what about Baby?”

“Baby is a little fairy.”

“Hehe.”

There weren’t too many cars on the road, but still enough that the navigation time eventually stretched to eight hours.

Halfway through the trip, they exited the highway according to plan to eat lunch and rest.

The local food culture differed greatly from Beicheng’s.

They chose a noodle shop for lunch.

Perhaps the flavors simply didn’t suit them.

Si Xiaotie lost interest after only a few bites.

Lin Ke also found it hard to adjust and barely finished half her portion.

Their daughter’s father quietly finished the leftovers for both mother and daughter.

After a brief rest, they got back on the road.

But barely twenty minutes later, Si Xiaotie suddenly clutched her stomach and complained it hurt.

Si Yuming immediately looked back anxiously.

“Xiaotie?”

“Wuu Mommy…”

The little girl threw herself into her mother’s arms.

Her once energetic voice had weakened terribly.

“It hurts…”

The car was still moving, though it gradually slowed.

Si Yuming switched lanes into the slow lane.

The noodles were probably the culprit.

Lin Ke lifted the girl onto her lap and calmly asked toward the front:

“How long until the nearest service station?”

“Half an hour.”

The woman frowned.

Whenever Si Xiaotie had stomach issues, she always needed the bathroom immediately.

Normally it was manageable.

But now they were stuck on the highway.

What could they do?

“How far to the nearest exit?”

Si Yuming checked navigation.

“About fifteen minutes.”

Fifteen minutes.

That should be manageable.

Lin Ke found the anti-diarrheal medicine she’d packed earlier and fed it to her daughter before gently pinching the child’s tiger’s mouth acupoint, speaking to distract her.

“Where did Gu Yiyi and his mommy go?”

“They went to the beach… nnngh… Mommy I need to poop.”

“Can you hold it a little longer?”

“Mnn…”

If absolutely necessary, there were still solutions.

Compared to holding it painfully, embarrassment didn’t matter much.

Lin Ke pulled out a plastic bag from her purse.

The moment Si Xiaotie understood what Mommy intended, panic exploded across her face.

“No!! Yuanyuan and Gu Yiyi will laugh at me!”

“Are you sure?”

The little girl was extremely determined.

“No no no!”

Hearing such energetic resistance, Lin Ke guessed the medicine was gradually taking effect and relaxed slightly.

Teasing her lightly, she said,

“Daddy and Mommy will pretend not to know. We won’t tell your friends either.”

“Ahhh no! I refuse!”

From the rearview mirror, Si Yuming could only see the mother and daughter in the backseat.

First he looked at the woman who remained calm the entire time, even hiding amusement in her eyes.

Then he looked at his distressed, embarrassed daughter.

A quiet laugh escaped him.

The moment Si Xiaotie heard it, she immediately lunged forward and covered his mouth with her tiny hand.

“Daddy’s not allowed to laugh!”